understanding whiskey

3
Special Advertising Section The most well-known style of whiskey in the United States is bourbon. It is so popular now, both in the United States and abroad, our distillers can’t make enough of the stuff. Bourbons, like Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, and Ridgemont Reserve, fit in a category known as “straight whiskeys,” and if you look closely enough on a bourbon label, you’ll see it identified that way. In contrast to Scotch whisky production, there are only four working Irish distilleries, and only three are currently selling whiskey. The small number of Irish distilleries explains the disparity between the amounts of Scotch whiskies on the market when compared to the number of Irish whiskeys. When comparing the differences between Irish whiskey to Scotch whisky, people will often say that the difference is that Irish whiskey is distilled three times (producing a lighter flavor), while scotch is only distilled twice. The other argument is that Irish whiskey is not smoky, and Scotch whisky is. These generalizations are accurate for many whiskeys, but not all of them. Irish whiskeys, like Jameson, contain “pure pot still” whiskey. Pure pot still whiskey is unique to Ireland. Unlike single malt scotch that is made from malted barley, pure post still whiskey comes from malted and unmalted barley that gives many Irish whiskeys their distinctive flavor. Understanding Whiskey is made from grain. This is what distinguishes it from other distilled beverages like brandy, which is made from grapes, and calvados, which is made from apples. Simply speaking, whiskey is nothing more than distilled beer. Like beer, malted barley and other grains are the source of the sugars neces- sary for fermentation. The sugars in the grain are released by steeping it in hot water. This sweet liquid, known as “wort,” is cooled down. Yeast is added and converts the sugars to alcohol, creating beer. The major difference between the “beer” that whiskey-makers produce (often called “wash”) and the beer that brewers create is that the brewers also add hops to their beer. Hops, the flowering cones of a climbing plant, are bitter and help balance a beer’s sweetness. They also act as a preservative to stabilize the beer’s flavor. Distiller’s beer doesn’t need hops. Oak aging balances the whiskey’s flavors, and distilling increases the alcohol level, which preserves the whiskey. To make whiskey from beer, it must be distilled. Distilling captures and concentrates the beer’s more volatile components, which include alcohol. The distillers use either continuously-operating column stills (as with most bourbons) or copper pot stills (as with single malt scotch), one batch at a time. This spirit is then aged in oak barrels, where it matures and becomes whiskey. The types of grain used, the distillation method, and the casks chosen for aging are what make each whiskey taste different. W hiskey isn’t the easiest drink to embrace. Its alcohol level is much higher than beer or wine, and some of the names, like those of Gaelic-rooted Scotch whiskies, can be difficult to pronounce. Whiskeys, though, are rich and diverse in flavors — more than any other distilled spirit. At their extreme, the really smoky, peat-infused Scotch whiskies can be downright challenging. But many of life’s great pleasures are acquired tastes and worth the pursuit. For many, whiskey is just as much an adventure as it is a drink. It invites you to explore and indulge in its diversity. Each country traditionally produces its own style of whiskey, but even within that style there is an incredible range of whiskeys to choose from. By John Hansell whiskey Scotland has more distilleries than any coun- try, with close to 100 of them peppered through- out the land. The most distinctive Scotch whiskies are the single malts. In addition to being distilled and matured in Scotland for a minimum of three years in oak barrels (a requirement for all Scotch whisky), single malt scotch is produced at one distillery (“single”), using only malted barley as the grain (“malt”), and distilled in copper pot stills. It is an expensive process but pro- duces a richly flavored whisky and, because it’s not blended with whiskies from other distilleries, very individualistic. This is why single malt scotch is generally more expensive than blended scotch and coveted by aficionados. It’s also the reason why single malts are so much fun to drink and explore. Single malts are diverse in flavor, ranging from the gentle and subtly complex whiskies of the Scottish Lowlands, to the firmer, sometimes spicy whiskies in the Highlands, to the briny and often smoky whiskies from the Scottish coastlines and islands. The heart of Scottish distilling is an area known as Speyside, where nearly half of Scotland’s distilleries are situated on — or near — the Spey River. Some Speyside whiskies, like Balvenie and Macallan, are full-bodied and rich. Others, like the Glenlivet 12 year old, are very elegant. Even with all these great single malts, blended scotch still outsells them by a wide margin. Single malt enthusiasm is a relatively recent phenom- enon, gaining popularity over the past two decades. Blended scotches, like Johnnie Walker, Dewar’s, Chivas and Cutty Sark, are marriages of several, if not dozens of different single malts. The ad- vantage of blending is that it smoothes out the rough edges and fills in the missing gaps of a whisky’s flavor profile. Probably the least known fact about blended scotch is that the majority of the blend is not single malt scotch at all, but rather grain whisky. Grain whisky is made from various cereal grains and distilled in continuous col- umn stills, similar to the way vodka is made. It produces a less expensive, lighter flavored whisky. Some blends are incredible products, but are usu- ally lighter in flavor and less expensive than single malts. Many people think all Scotch whiskies are smoky, but only a handful of them really are. The smoke flavor comes from using malted barley that is dried over a peat fire. Peat was, at one time, the only practical fuel source for many distilleries. These days it’s an optional flavor enhancement that, by the way, is very much in vogue right now. so what is whiskey scotch whisky irish whiskey american whiskey John Hansell is the creator, publisher and editor of Malt Advocate, the nation’s leading magazine for the whisky enthusiast. He has appeared in USA Today, the New York Times, BusinessWeek, Men’s Health, Food & Wine and numerous other publications. Continued on bottom of next page ? We wanted to depict all that goes into our bourbon, but how do you illustrate passion? Does making bourbon have to be so complicated? If you want a rich, complex taste, it does. Our story starts 129 years ago with Tom Moore’s original spring and weaves its way around the distillery, ending high up in our Rackhouse Z for at least 8 years. But if you really want to know all that goes into 1792 Ridgemont Reserve® , one sip should tell you everything. 1792bourbon.com Here’s something that’s not complicated at all-drink responsibly. 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. 46.85%ALC./VOL. (93.7 proof ). Distilled and bottled by Barton Distilling Co. Bardstown, KY. Complex Taste. Simple Pleasure. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Friday, November 21, 2008 A13

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Page 1: Understanding Whiskey

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK CMY K

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Special Advertising Section

The most well-known style of whiskeyin the United States is bourbon. It is sopopular now, both in the United States andabroad, our distillers can’t make enoughof the stuff. Bourbons, like Jim Beam,

Wild Turkey, and Ridgemont Reserve, fit in a category known as “straightwhiskeys,” and if you look closely enough on a bourbon label, you’ll see itidentified that way.

In contrast to Scotch whisky production,there are only four working Irish distilleries,and only three are currently selling whiskey.The small number of Irish distilleries explainsthe disparity between the amounts of Scotch

whiskies on the market when compared to the number of Irish whiskeys.When comparing the differences between Irish whiskey to Scotch whisky,

people will often say that the difference is that Irish whiskey is distilled threetimes (producing a lighter flavor), while scotch is only distilled twice. Theother argument is that Irish whiskey is not smoky, and Scotch whisky is.These generalizations are accurate for many whiskeys, but not all of them.

Irish whiskeys, like Jameson, contain “pure pot still” whiskey. Pure potstill whiskey is unique to Ireland. Unlike single malt scotch that is madefrom malted barley, pure post still whiskey comes from malted and unmaltedbarley that gives many Irish whiskeys their distinctive flavor.

Understanding

Whiskey is made from grain. This is what distinguishes it fromother distilled beverages like brandy, which is made from grapes,and calvados, which is made from apples.

Simply speaking, whiskey is nothing more than distilled beer. Likebeer, malted barley and other grains are the source of the sugars neces-sary for fermentation. The sugars in the grain are released by steepingit in hot water. This sweet liquid, known as “wort,” is cooled down.Yeast is added and converts the sugars to alcohol, creating beer.

The major difference between the “beer” that whiskey-makersproduce (often called “wash”) and the beer that brewers create is thatthe brewers also add hops to their beer. Hops, the flowering conesof a climbing plant, are bitter and help balance a beer’s sweetness.They also act as a preservative to stabilize the beer’s flavor. Distiller’sbeer doesn’t need hops. Oak aging balances the whiskey’s flavors, anddistilling increases the alcohol level, which preserves the whiskey.

To make whiskey from beer, it must be distilled. Distillingcaptures and concentrates the beer’s more volatile components, whichinclude alcohol. The distillers use either continuously-operatingcolumn stills (as with most bourbons) or copper pot stills (as withsingle malt scotch), one batch at a time. This spirit is then aged in oakbarrels, where it matures and becomes whiskey. The types of grainused, the distillation method, and the casks chosen for aging are whatmake each whiskey taste different.

Whiskey isn’t the easiest drink to embrace. Its alcohol level is much higherthan beer or wine, and some of the names, like those of Gaelic-rootedScotch whiskies, can be difficult to pronounce. Whiskeys, though, arerich and diverse in flavors — more than any other distilled spirit. Attheir extreme, the really smoky, peat-infused Scotch whiskies can

be downright challenging.But many of life’s great pleasures are acquired tastes and worth the pursuit.

For many, whiskey is just as much an adventure as it is a drink. It invites you toexplore and indulge in its diversity. Each country traditionally produces its ownstyle of whiskey, but even within that style there is an incredible range ofwhiskeys to choose from.

By John Hansell

whiskey

Scotland has more distilleries than any coun-try, with close to 100 of them peppered through-out the land. The most distinctive Scotch whiskiesare the single malts. In addition to being distilledand matured in Scotland for a minimum of three

years in oak barrels (a requirement for all Scotch whisky), single malt scotchis produced at one distillery (“single”), using only malted barley as the grain(“malt”), and distilled in copper pot stills. It is an expensive process but pro-duces a richly flavored whisky and, because it’s not blended with whiskiesfrom other distilleries, very individualistic. This is why single malt scotch isgenerally more expensive than blended scotch and coveted by aficionados.It’s also the reason why single malts are so much fun to drink and explore.

Single malts are diverse in flavor, ranging from the gentle and subtlycomplex whiskies of the Scottish Lowlands, to the firmer, sometimes spicywhiskies in the Highlands, to the briny and often smoky whiskies from theScottish coastlines and islands. The heart of Scottish distilling is an areaknown as Speyside, where nearly half of Scotland’s distilleries are situatedon — or near — the Spey River. Some Speyside whiskies, like Balvenie andMacallan, are full-bodied and rich. Others, like the Glenlivet 12 year old,are very elegant.

Even with all these great single malts, blended scotch still outsells themby a wide margin. Single malt enthusiasm is a relatively recent phenom-enon, gaining popularity over the past two decades.

Blended scotches, like Johnnie Walker, Dewar’s, Chivas and Cutty Sark,are marriages of several, if not dozens of different single malts. The ad-vantage of blending is that it smoothes out the rough edges and fills in themissing gaps of a whisky’s flavor profile.

Probably the least known fact about blended scotch is that the majorityof the blend is not single malt scotch at all, but rather grain whisky. Grainwhisky is made from various cereal grains and distilled in continuous col-umn stills, similar to the way vodka is made. It produces a less expensive,lighter flavored whisky. Some blends are incredible products, but are usu-ally lighter in flavor and less expensive than single malts.

Many people think all Scotch whiskies are smoky, but only a handful ofthem really are. The smoke flavor comes from using malted barley that isdried over a peat fire. Peat was, at one time, the only practical fuel sourcefor many distilleries. These days it’s an optional flavor enhancement that,by the way, is very much in vogue right now.

so what is whiskey

scotchwhisky

irishwhiskey

americanwhiskey

JohnHansell is the creator,publisher and editor ofMaltAdvocate, the nation’s leadingmagazine for the whiskyenthusiast. He has appeared inUSA Today, theNew York Times,BusinessWeek, Men’s Health,Food &Wine and numerousother publications.

Continued on bottom of next page

?

Wewanted to depict all thatgoes into our bourbon, but howdo you illustrate passion?Does making bourbon have to be so complicated?If you want a rich, complex taste, it does. Our storystarts 129 years ago with TomMoore’s original springand weaves its way around the distillery, ending highup in our Rackhouse Z for at least 8 years. But if youreally want to know all that goes into 1792 RidgemontReserve®, one sip should tell you everything.

1792bourbon.com

Here’s

something

that’snotcom

plicated

atall-d

rinkresponsib

ly.1792

RidgemontR

eserve

KentuckyStraight

BourbonW

hiskey.46.85%

ALC

./VOL.(93.7proof).Distilled

andbottled

byBarton

DistillingCo.Bardstow

n,KY.

Complex Taste. Simple Pleasure.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Friday, November 21, 2008 A13

Page 2: Understanding Whiskey

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THEY SAY THE WAY TO A MAN’S HEARTIS THROUGH HIS STOMACH, I TENDTO THINK IT IS MORE THROUGH ATRADITIONAL BOURBON OAK CASK ANDTHEN AN ORIGINAL SHERRY OAK CASK.BUT THAT MIGHT JUST BE ME.

Single Malt With Unmistakable Character

The Balvenie Distillery, Balvenie Maltings, Scotland. Est. 1892. ©2007 Imported by William Grant & Sons, Inc. New York, NY 43% Alc./Vol.

Don’t think poorly of yourself if you can’t appreciate The Balvenie.It’s a rare breed who can savor its Oloroso sherry notes, layeredwith honey and vanilla. If you can, we respect your refined taste.If not, we wish you all the best in your humble endeavors.

TheBalvenieGuy.com

Special Advertising Section

Bourbon, being a straight whiskey, must meet strict requirements. It has to bemade in the United States (and while nearly all bourbon is made in Kentucky rightnow, it doesn’t have to be legally), and its grain formula, known as the “mashbill,” must contain at least 51 percent corn. It can’t be distilled higher than 80 per-cent alcohol (by volume) or go into the barrel for aging higher than 62.5 percentalcohol, and has to be aged in new charred oak barrels for a minimum of twoyears. These requirements are designed to maintain the quality and consistencyof bourbon.

Other straight whiskeys, like straight rye whiskeys and straight wheat whiskeysmust meet similar requirements. The only difference is that rye or wheat is the maingrain (respectively), rather than corn.

If you walk into a bar and ask for a bourbon, there’s a good chance you’ll getJack Daniel’s. This is probably the biggest misunderstanding in the world of whiskey.It’s a Tennessee whiskey and made just like bourbon — except for one additional stepin the process. After the spirit is distilled, and before it is put into charred oak bar-rels for aging, it is mellowed through vats of sugar maple charcoal. This changes theflavor profile of the whiskey — which some describe as mellower and gently sweeterwhen compared to bourbon — making it distinctly Tennessee whiskey.

While bourbon has to be made from a mash of at least 51 percent corn, in real-ity it usually is made with 70 - 80 percent corn. The remainder consists of rye andmalted barley. You can think of rye as the “spice” ingredient of bourbon. It doesn’thave to be used, but it has a significant impact on the flavor profile. If you’ve evertasted rye bread, then you understand rye’s contribution to bourbon.

But some bourbon producers replace the rye with wheat. Wheat chang-es the flavor profile in its own way. “Wheated” bourbons, like Maker’s Mark,

are less bold and more approachable. Some drinkers like the easygoing styleof wheated bourbons, while others enjoy the boldness of more traditionalrye-spiced bourbons.

Largely ignored for decades, straight rye whiskeys have made a huge comebackand create a distinctive impact when used in cocktails, making it very a trendyingredient right now for mixologists.

Canadian whisky is the lightest examplefrom the major whisky distilling countries.That’s because Canadian whisky tradition-ally consists of a blend of two components:a base whisky and a flavoring whisky. The

base whisky, usually made from corn, is very light in flavor and comprises the largemajority of the whisky’s make-up. The flavoring whisky, often one with a high ryecontent, makes up the rest.

Ironically, Canadian law allows Canadian whisky to be called Canadian Whisky,Canadian Rye Whisky, or Rye Whisky, even though the actual amount of rye in thegrain mixture is usually very small, and much less than corn. There is a huge dif-ference between Canadian “rye” whiskies and American “straight rye” whiskeys.The straight ryes produced in the United States are considerably bolder and morechallenging. Canadian “rye” drinkers are often confused and overwhelmed by theintensity of the straight rye whiskeys from the United States, where the largest in-gredient must be rye.

Canadian whisky’s lighter style makes it appealing year-round, even in the warmsummer months when other whiskeys might be too heavy. While most people thinkof Canadian whiskies as mixing whiskies, something to be drunk on the rocks orwith soda, there are also some fine Canadian whiskies that you can sip neat, likeCrown Royal Reserve or the new Canadian Club 30 year old, both of which areworth seeking out.

Continued from previous page

Whiskey

aPPReCIaTINGWHIsKeYIf you’re drinking whiskey just for fun, and aren’t interested in learning more about your whiskey, then go ahead and drink it however you like.You paid for it and you earned that right. However, if you want to capture as many aromas and flavors as possible, then try to understand that whis-key expresses itself best at room temperature. I know you are tempted to just go ahead and drink the whiskey, but don’t. Not just yet, anyway.

lOOKBefore you do anything, look at the whiskey. You can learn

a lot about your whiskey by its color. Generally speaking, thedarker the whiskey, the older it is, because whisky gets itscolor from being in contact with the oak barrel during aging.

The type of barrel also matters. For example, if a Scotchwhisky is being aged in a bourbon barrel that has been usedseveral times over, it’s not going to pick up much color fromthe barrel. However, if that same whisky was put in a caskthat contained sherry or port wine, it will pick up some of thecolors of the wine, in addition to those of oak barrel.

I must also warn you that some whiskeys (particularlythose that are younger) contain caramel coloring to makethem look “the way we think whiskey should look,” becauseyoung whiskeys haven’t had enough contact time with theoak barrel, and will appear lighter in color.

Realize that you can smell morefrom your whiskey than you willever be able to taste. In fact, all themaster blenders work primarily bynosing, not by tasting. So do your-self a favor and smell your whiskeybefore you taste it. Don’t thrust yournose into the glass, because the al-cohol will be too dominant. Gentlyraise the whiskey up to your noseuntil you begin capturing its aroma.

Think about what you smell.Often, but not always, a whiskey’saroma will be a good indication ofhow it will taste.

TasTeNow go ahead and taste the whiskey. Make sure you

coat your entire tongue and let it linger on the palate fora little while before swallowing. Is it thick on your pal-ate or thin? What flavors do you taste? Does the whiskeytaste the same way it smells? Do the flavors evolve on thepalate or just stay the same? After you swallow, does theflavor fade away quickly or does it linger on the palate?Most importantly, did you like it?

For many of you, the alcohol will just be too intenseto fully appreciate the whiskey. I recommend that youadd a little water to your whiskey, then nose and tastethe whiskey again. Add a little bit at a time (a few drops)and keep adding until you find your comfort zone. Add-ing water brings out more of the whiskey’s aroma. It alsolowers the alcohol level, reducing its numbing effect onthe palate.

smell

CaNadIaNWHIsKY

A14 Friday, November 21, 2008 THE WALL STREET JOURNAL.

Page 3: Understanding Whiskey

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Special Advertising Section

To “e” or noT To “e”?Depending on the country of origin, “whiskey” is spelled withor without an “e.” American whiskeys, like bourbon, rye, andTennessee whiskey, usually spell their whiskey with an “e.”Irish whiskeys also retain the “e.” Scotch and Canadian whis-kies are spelled without the “e.”

WhaT is “finishing”?Many whiskeys spend most of their lives in one cask, butthen are put into a different type of cask for a brief timebefore bottling. This practice is known as “!nishing,” and youwill often see this identi!ed on the whiskey’s label. Finishingis used to a great extent with Scotch whiskies. Most scotchesare initially aged in used bourbon barrels. Finishing them ina wine cask, like sherry or port, or perhaps even a used rumcask, will add new dimensions of" avors. It is also a quickway, from a marketing standpoint, for a distillery to introducea new whiskey to the market.

is iT from a single cask?When a distiller bottles a whiskey, it generally comes from a marriage of casks produced at that dis-tillery. This ensures consistency of "avors. Only a small percentage of whiskeys are bottled one caskat a time, and they are usually identi!ed on the label as such. Since each barrel of whiskey tastesdifferent (even when from the same distillery), single cask bottlings are the most individualistic.

hoW old is iT?If a whiskey has an age statement on the label, then all the whiskey in that bottle must be at leastthat old. For example, if a distillery combines 12-,15- and 18-year old barrels of whiskeys, theage statement on the label can’t be more than 12 years old. Remember: whiskey only ages in thebarrel, not in the bottle.

WhaT’s iTs sTrengTh?All whiskeys must contain at least 40 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), or 80 proof (proof is twicethe alcohol level), though there are whiskeys on the market that are over 70 percent ABV (140 proof)!Usually, after whiskey is taken from the barrel, water is added to bring it down to the strength thatthe producer wants to sell it at. Sometimes a whiskey is bottled at the same strength it came out ofthe barrel. This is often referred to on the label as Barrel Proof or Natural Cask Strength.

is iT chill-filTered?A whiskey will get hazy or cloudy if its temperature is lowered (e.g., if ice or cold water is added).Most whiskey companies think cloudy whiskey is unappealing and will hurt sales. To prevent this,before the whiskey is bottled, they chill it down and !lter out the components that make it cloudy.Unfortunately, those components (known as congeners) also contribute to a whiskey’s "avor. Someproducers bottle the whiskey without chill-!ltering, and this is usually identi!ed and explained onthe label.

Reading a whiskey’s label can be very daunting. This guidewill help you understand what’s inside the bottle, what itmeans to you, and help you! nd a whiskey you will enjoy.

inviTe The righT people and have a designaTed driverBefore you begin to think of the kinds of whiskeys you’ll be pouring,make sure you have the right audience. They should be open-mindedwhiskey drinkers, or people who aren’t whiskey drinkers but are curi-ous and interested in learning about whiskey.

pick a Theme and have funYou have hundreds of whiskeys to choose from. Come up with an inter-esting theme. Consider tasting them “blind,” so you don’t know whatyou are tasting (and won’t have any pre-conceived opinions).

use The proper glassWareUse clear glassware that closes toward the top to capture thewhiskey’s aroma. There are several new nosing and tasting glasses thatyou could use, but small brandy snifters or white wine glasses will workjust !ne. Make sure your glassware is clean and free of detergent. Ifyou washed the glasses in a dishwasher, rinse them with water beforeusing. If you’re reusing the glasses throughout the evening, make surethey are rinsed thoroughly between "ights.

don’T serve Too many WhiskeysSix to eight whiskeys are plenty — especially if you’re swallowing. If you taste too many whiskeys,your palate will eventually become fatigued. One-half ounce pour for each whiskey is enough. Havea dump bucket available so tasters can dump whiskeys they don’t want to! nish. Taste anotherwhiskey every ten minutes or so. That, combined with some light snacks and additional conversa-tion at the end, will make for an enjoyable two-hour tasting.

have plenTy of WaTerHave two sources of water: one for drinking and one for adding to your whiskey. Make sure the wateryou have for your whiskey is non-carbonated, room temperature and clean (e.g., spring water).

serve The righT foodFor your! rst whiskey tasting, serve the food before or after the tasting. Whiskey and food do gowell together in under certain circumstances but, for your! rst tasting, you should keep it simpleand just focus on the whiskey. If you are serving food before the tasting, don’t serve anything spicy.Hot peppers and garlic will ruin your experience. You might just want to serve some water andcrackers before and during the tasting, and enjoy more substantial food after you’ve! nished. Butif you’re cooking aromatic foods for your guests during the event, make sure the tasting is done ina location far from those aromas.

exchange ideas and ThoughTsDiscuss what you smell and taste. It will help you discover more aromas and "avors, and it will makeyou a better taster. What did you like about the whiskey? What turned you off? Why? If you think youmight forget some of what you learned (and you probably will), take notes. Keep a whiskey diary.

The most exciting thing about whiskey is its diversity of"a-vors, which is the reason why conducting a whiskey tasting(and attending one) is so much fun. Comparing and contrast-ing whiskeys is also a great way to learn more about them.

readingThe label

conducTing aWhiskey TasTing

— J.H.

Courtesy of Malt Advocate

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. Friday, November 21, 2008 A15